Blood Orange & Crème Fraîche Crêpes

Blood Orange & Crème Fraîche Crepes | Now, Forager | Teresa Floyd

For as long as I can remember, January has always been the hardest month of the year for me. The phrase “January Blues” comes to mind and it seems to be a combination of dreary grey winter days and the after-holiday quiet. At first it feels peaceful, but quickly slides into a flat emotional phase where creativity is sparse. However, this year I have a saving grace in these Blood Orange & Crème Fraîche Crêpes. Created for my monthly Sugar Rush column, in Feast Magazine’s January issue, they serve as a reminder that the dead of winter isn’t something to simply survive. It can be a time of self-care in simple ways, like making myself crêpes for breakfast. At their best, crêpes are an ultra-light delicacy with lacy edges and decadent fillings. Thanks to the addition of sparkling water, these sweet crêpes are just that; delicate and light as air. Filled with a sweetened crème fraîche and topped with tart blood orange segments and maple syrup, they make for an excellent breakfast that brightens up any dreary winter day.

Blood Orange & Crème Fraîche Crepes | Now, Forager | Teresa Floyd

Helpful Tips For This Recipe

*Use a crêpe pan for the best results. A basic one with shallow sides and a heavy bottom will do the trick, like this one or this one.

*Allow the batter to rest overnight if possible. It’s a key step to producing a melt-in-your mouth crêpe. The resting period allows the gluten in the batter time to relax and the flour to fully absorb the liquid.

*After allowing the crêpe batter to rest, if any tiny lumps remain simply strain the batter for an ultra-smooth texture.



Blood Orange & Crème Frâiche Crêpes

Makes 12 (8-inch) crêpes



Crème Frâiche Filling

1 cup (226g)  crème frâiche
1 teaspoon  granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon  vanilla extract

In a bowl, whisk together crème fraîche, sugar, and vanilla. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.



Sweet Crêpes

1 ½ cups (203g) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon  kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 (143g) large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 cup (241ml)  whole milk
¾  cup (171ml) sparkling water, plus more for thinning batter if needed
Neutral oil, for cooking
Crème frâiche filling
2 blood oranges, supremed or cut into segments
Pure maple syrup

In large bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, vanilla, milk, and sparkling water.  Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (tiny lumps in the batter are ok- they’ll dissolve as the batter rests). Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Heat an 8-inch crêpe pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil to coat the bottom of the pan and then wipe it off, leaving a thin residue in order to prevent crêpes from sticking. Remove crêpe batter from refrigerator and whisk until smooth. If needed, add 1-2 more tablespoons of sparkling water until batter’s consistency is slightly thinner than heavy cream.

Pour about ¼ cup of batter into hot pan and immediately tilt the pan to swirl the batter into an even layer across the bottom. Let the crêpe cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until the bottom is golden brown. Flip (I like to use a large offset spatula) and cook for another 30 seconds. Transfer the crêpe to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter. As they are stacked, place a square of parchment paper between each crêpe to prevent sticking.

To serve, spread each crêpe with 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche filling and fold into quarters. Top with blood orange segments, a drizzle of crème fraîche filling, and maple syrup.